Amid the "Tamizhagam" row, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday said that he never "suggested" changing the name of the state.
Asserting that interpreting his statement as a suggestion to change the name of the state is erroneous and far-fetched, a statement released by Raj Bhavan said, "Without understanding the basis of my speech, arguments that the Governor is against the word 'Tamil Nadu' have become a topic of discussion. Hence, I am giving this clarification to put an end to it."
A political controversy was triggered after the governor said Tamizhagam was a more appropriate name for the state than Tamil Nadu.
This remark also brought him into the line of fire of several political parties.
The governor was criticised for using a name other than the one approved by the Constitution. Both words find mentioned in Tamil literature, but Tamil Nadu is being accepted and Tamizhagam is opposed.
Earlier, speaking at a function held in Raj Bhavan to felicitate the organisers and volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Governor Ravi said, "Unfortunately in Tamil Nadu there has been a regressive politics that we are Dravidians, and by virtue of the Constitution, we have been brought together. The entire effort has been created in half a century to reinforce this narrative that we are not part of the nation, but an integral part of the nation. And even a different kind of narrative has been created. Everything applicable for the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no."
"It has become a habit. So many theses have been written--all false and poor fiction. This must be broken. Truth must prevail. In fact, Tamil Nadu is the land which holds the soul of Bharat. It is the identity of Bharat. In fact, Thamizhagam would be the more appropriate word to call it," the Governor said.
Reasoning the usage of the term, Tamil Nadu Governor said, "In an event at Raj Bhavan on January 4, 2023, to felicitate the volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, a recently concluded month-long festival celebrating the age-old cultural connect of Tamil people with Kashi, while dwelling upon the historical cultural connect between the two, I referred to the word 'Tamizhagam'. In those days, there was no 'Tamil Nadu'. Hence in historical cultural context, I referred to the word 'Tamizhagam' as a 'more appropriate expression," it said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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